Operating frequencies of processors are progressively increasing. In order to take advantage of these high frequencies, computer systems attempt to transmit signals along their buses and between system components at comparable frequencies.
When transmitting and receiving data at high frequencies between system components, such as between integrated circuits, some difficulties are encountered. Buses behave like transmission lines, where impedance mismatches lead to signal reflection and interference effects, such as ring-backs and overshoots. Maintaining signal quality over interconnections thus typically require termination of transmission lines (e.g., buses) with matching impedances to minimize signal reflections.